Subscribe Now

Prior to European settlement, Longleaf Pine forests covered a 140 million square mile area that runs along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Southern Virginia to Texas. Frequent, low-intensity fires, which traditionally happened every two to four years and would sweep across the forest floor like a broom without killing the Pine trees themselves, keeping [...]

Since 1910, overall precipitation in the lower 48 states has increased by ten percent, and the region with the largest increase in rainfall is the Mississippi River Basin. Because of fertilizer use on farms, lawns, and gardens in the Basin, wet years mean that more nitrogen (an ingredient in fertilizer) is carried with rainwater into [...]

In the Florida Keys, water temperatures fluctuate annually between about 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. While coral polyps can only survive in warm waters, if these waters become too warm, algae which the coral polyps need to absorb nutrients begin to die, and an event known as coral bleaching occurs. Coral bleaching events in the [...]

One of the most important properties of water is that it is the most universal solvent. It is able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid. Unfortunately, this property means that water can carry many pollutans into ocean waters – oil, pesticides, fertilizers, pet wastes, and others. These pollutants can harm ocean ecosystems, close [...]

Because of their structure, coral reefs provide shoreline wave protection from tropical storms and hurricanes. Several million people in the U.S. live in coastal communities near coral reefs. Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter (Source: NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program: http://www.coralreef.noaa.gov. International Year of the Reef 2008: http://www.iyor.org/reefs/benefits.asp.)

Temperature tells you how warm or cold the water is. All marine life has a temperature range in which it can live. High water temperatures can make it hard for some aquatic wildlife, insects and plant species to survive. Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter (Source: America’s Clean Water Foundation. 2005 (Beta Version) World Water Monitoring [...]

Sandy shores, common in the Gulf of Mexico, are home to a wide diversity of worms, clams, snails and other creatures that live in the sand or mud. These species also provide food to large numbers of shorebirds, who often stop by sandy beaches during their migrations. The sand dunes that form inland from the [...]

By measuring dissolved oxygen, scientists determine how much oxygen is available in water. Aquatic animals depend on dissolved oxygen for survival. Warm water holds less oxygen that cold water, and water with ample oxygen will support a wide variety of aquatic animals. Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter (Source: America’s Clean Water Foundation. 2005 (Beta Version) [...]

Testing water for pH measures the alkalinity or acidity of water (an example of an alkaline substance, or base, is bleach; an example of an acidic substance, or acid, is vinegar). PH is measured on a scale of one to 14, one being the most acidic, and 14 being the most basic. High or low [...]

Excess noice from human activity, such as shipping, oil exploration, and military functions, may be harming marine species. Loud noises are thought todisrupt feeding, mating and migration, drive species away from their habitats, and can even cause deafness. Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter (Source: World Wildlife Fund. Windows on the Wild: Oceans of Life, An [...]

The Louisiana Department of Fish and Wildlife spends about 1.5 million dollars annually to control non-native plant species in coastal waters. Detrimental species include hydrilla, Eurasian watermilfoil, alligator weed, and Chinese tallow tree. Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter (Source: U.S. EPA. Gulf Coast National Estuary Program Coastal Condition Report: Tampa Bay. http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nepccr/pdf/nepccr_gom_partf.pdf.)

Salt marshes are important ecosystems where the ocean meets the shore. They help prevent shoreline erosion, filter out pollutants that would otherwise enter the ocean, and house estuaries where fish, shellfish, and crustaceans young are raised. About 60 percent of the coastal and freshwater marshes in the United States are found along the northeast Gulf [...]

Thirty-six (36) of the 337 fish species found in Mobile Bay are listed as “at risk”. Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter (Source: U.S. EPA. Gulf Coast National Estuary Program Coastal Condition Report: Tampa Bay. http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nepccr/pdf/nepccr_gom_parte.pdf.)

Since 1992, the overall acreage of seagrass in Tampa Bay has been increasing by about 500 acres per year. However, the Old Tampa Bay area is an exception, losing about 24 percent of seagrass acreage between 1999 and 2004. This may suggest a more serious water quality problem in the Old Tampa Bay area. Seasons: [...]

We often think about how land animals survive the winter, but what about marine animals? Manatees despite their hefty appearance have only about an inch of fat to insulate them from cold water temperatures, meaning that they can die of hypothermia when water temperatures dip below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. During the summer, manatees can be [...]

Fishing line is one of the most common and damaging types of marine debris. Fishing line and rope can wrap around flippers of marine mammals, causing a loss of circulation or cuts that can lead to bacterial infections. Viewer Tip: Do you fish or do you know someone who does? Recycle your fishing line! Alabama [...]

Non-native species that establish populations in Alabama’s waterways, such as the hydrilla plant and the zebra mussel, can disrupt the local ecosystem. These plants and animals are transported through wind, currents, or a variety of human activities such as boating, release of privately-owned species, and escape from aquaculture fisheries. Once in their new home, non-native [...]

Did you know that the estimated number of freshwater, brackish and marine organisms transported in ballast waters per day may be over 3000 species? An invasive species is a species that is likely to be harmful to the environment, economy or human health. The Gulf of Mexico is particularly susceptible to the introduction of invasive [...]

From 2003 through 2005, Americans went freshwater fishing 1.4 billion times per year! Fishing and boating are fun for humans, but if done without regard for the natural environement these activities can harm the fish and the waterways that they rely on! Viewer Tip: When boating on freshwater, keep in mind your impact on the [...]

“Bycatch” refers to fish and other marine life that are accidentally caught when fishing by a method known as trawling, essentially dragging a large fishing net through the water behind one or more boats. Studies show that one fish is incidentally captured by commercial shrimp trawlers for every 1.9 shrimp they harvest during the March [...]